Maple Pecan Granola

"Where's the cereal?"  I can already hear my son calling this out tomorrow morning.  And I'll have to remind him once again that for the entire month of October (and hopefully beyond), he's going to need to find something other than cereal to eat for breakfast because I'm  not buying any more.

Tomorrow is the first day of EatingRules' month long challenge to eat only unprocessed foods (see the October Unprocessed button on the top left of this blog).  We mostly eat this way already, but there are a few things we'll need to address, and cereal is one of them.  Honestly, most of us, with the exception of our son, do not eat breakfast regularly - we usually eat "brunch", and what we choose varies based on what we are hungry for at that time of the morning (for me, it's usually just toast).  However, my son wakes up famished and immediately pours a big bowl of cereal.  On the weekends, he does make pancakes or waffles, but during the week, cereal is his go-to meal.

So, today I made a big batch of Maple Pecan Granola and I'm stashing it where the cereal boxes used to be. I also made a menu with breakfast, lunch and snack ideas (along with the dinner menu) and stuck it to the front of the fridge.  Hopefully this will make the transition easier for the poor kid so he won't have to think too hard about what he can eat.

I posted our menu here, and there is a link on the right side of the blog. I'm still working on setting up the menu page, so it might look a little different than this one for a while, but at least the menu is available right now.  If everyone likes the menus, I may keep posting them after October (so feel free to comment about whether they are  helpful to you or not).

Good luck to all the Unprocessed October warriors!

Maple Pecan Granola
makes about 7 cups; about 14 servings

• 4 c rolled oats (not quick)
• 1 c raw, unsalted pecans, chopped
• 1/2 c raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 1/2 c raw, unsalted sunflower seed meats
• 1 Tbs cinnamon
• 1/2 c oil (unrefined coconut oil is my first choice, but extra virgin olive oil or a good quality canola work well, too)
• 1 c pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp pure maple extract (such as Cook's Pure Maple Extract)
• 1 c dried fruit (apples, pears, rasins, cranberries, or a combination)

Preheat oven to 300F.

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and cinnamon.

In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine the oil (if using coconut oil, warm it to a liquid state), maple syrup, and maple extract.  Mix well.

Pour the maple mixture over the oat mixture and mix well.

Turn the granola out onto a 15x10 jelly roll pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring well every 15 minutes.

Remove from oven, stir again, and mix in the dried fruit.

I used cranberries and raisins, but apples and cranberries are amazing!

Cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Chicken and Vegetable Shepherd's Pie (and a Vegetarian Version)

Okay, so this isn't a traditional Shepherd's Pie recipe, but I really don't know what else to call it.  Rosemary and Garlic Infused Potato-Topped Creamy Chicken and Vegetables doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.  And it skips the cheese.  Traditionally, Shepherd's Pie is made with left over lamb or beef, mixed with gravy, topped with potatoes, and baked until the potatoes are browned and the filling is bubbly.  This recipe does not contain lamb or beef; it contains chicken, or, for the vegetarian version, white beans.  And cheese (because I love cheese).

Years ago, I adapted a favorite Chicken Pot Pie recipe that relied upon cream of something or another soup to forgo the pie crust in favor of mashed potatoes, and enhanced all the seasonings to accommodate our preferences.  Then, I changed the seasonings once again to use Great Northern Beans in place of the chicken, and we've used that recipe for a long time. Tonight, I had some left over roasted chicken that needed to be used, so I made the chicken version to share with you.  If you prefer to make it a meatless dish, simply substitute 1 1/2 c cooked Cannellini beans or Great Northern beans for the chicken.

While it is certainly not necessary, if you have the time to make the potatoes or precook the veggies ahead of time (each only really take from 8-15 minutes), it makes things go smoother at prep time since for about 15 minutes many things are cooking simultaneously, and it saves on pots to wash afterward.  I usually don't do this, but I find myself thinking it would be a good idea while I'm washing things after I put the pie in the oven so I can have room to make the salad.

Chicken and Vegetable Shepherd's Pie
serves 8

• 2 1/2 lbs potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 inch chunks
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 6 cloves garlic, cracked and peeled
• 1/4 c milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 c carrots, diced
• 1 c frozen peas
• 1/2 c fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces (or from a bag of frozen green beans)
• 1 1/2 c chopped cooked chicken or cooked white beans
• 1/3 c butter
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/3 c chopped onion
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 4 oz roughly chopped cremini mushrooms
• 1/3 c flour
• 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 c chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 c milk
• 3 oz Swiss cheese, shredded
• 1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a pot, combine potatoes, rosemary sprigs and garlic.  Add just enough water to cover.
 

Bring to a boil, lower the heat, partially cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender.  Strain.  Pull out the rosemary stems, adding any leaves back into the potatoes, and discard the stems.  Place the potatoes, garlic and rosemary leaves back into the pot.  Add 1/4 c milk.  With a handheld mixer, whip the potatoes until smooth (about 1-2 minutes).  Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, add carrots and fresh green beans (if using frozen green beans, don't add them now), and  about 1/2 c water.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, about 8 minutes.  Stir in peas (add frozen green beans now), and set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium high heat.  Stir in garlic, onion, celery, and mushrooms.  Saute 2-3 minutes, or until veggies are tender.  Add sage, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium.  Add flour and mix well; cook for about 30 seconds.  Slowly add the broth and milk, stirring constantly (a wire whisk is handy here). Continue to stir over medium  heat for about 5-7 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and bubbly (the mixture will not splatter when dripped from the whisk back into the liquid).

Drain the the vegetables and place in a 2 qt baking dish.  Stir in the chicken or beans (season with salt and pepper if desired).

Mix in the gravy.  Top with mashed potatoes.  Sprinkle with Swiss cheese and parsley.

Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until the cheese begins to brown and the filling is bubbly.

Enjoy!

Good Ol' Chicken Noodle Soup

Few things in life make us feel as good as a steaming hot bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup.  When the weather gets a little cooler and we begin to crave warm, comforting foods, chicken soup is a classic and often requested meal at our house.

My son is a soup lover, and his input about this soup has turned an already great soup into a fantastic family favorite.  He loves the flavor of rosemary, so we've added it.  He is also responsible for adding peas to the traditional carrot/celery/onion veggie combination; the mildly sweet pop of the peas adds such a nice contrast to all the other rustic flavors already present in the soup.

Using a homemade chicken stock creates a depth of flavor with which a store-bought broth cannot possibly compete.  Also, by making your own stock, you will have all that lovely, already seasoned chicken meat to add to this soup.  Really, what makes us feel so good when we eat chicken noodle soup isn't so much the meager ingredients, it's the long simmered, nutrient rich, full flavor of the broth.

Good Ol' Chicken Noodle Soup
serves 6

• 2 quarts chicken stock (preferably homemade)
• 1/2 c chopped carrots
• 1/2 c chopped celery
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 1/2 c frozen peas
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 c cooked chicken
• 2 tsp chopped fresh sage (or about 1/2 tsp dried)
• 2 tsp chopped fresh marjoram (or about 1/2 tsp dried)
• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or about 1/2 tsp dried)
• 1 - 2 tsp minced fresh rosemary (or about 1/2 tsp, dried and crushed)
• at least 1 tsp sea salt (taste to see if you prefer more)
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 c uncooked egg noodles
• 1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley

Combine all ingredients except egg noodles and parsley in a large soup pot.  

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until carrots are tender. 

Add the uncooked egg noddles.  Bring the soup back to a low boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for about 6 minutes, or until noodles are tender.  Stir in parsley.

Chicken Stock

Homemade chicken stock is both nutritious and delicious because of its use of bones and the long simmering time, both of which are key to achieving a concentrated, flavorful stock.  For the chicken parts, I use backs, legs, and if I've got them on hand, wings.  The reason I do this is two-fold; for one, these parts are generally less expensive (even organic, but it's unlikely you'll find them separated like this from the farmer) and because dark meat tends to have much more flavor in a situation like this.  Since no one at our house eats the wings when I bake chicken, I put them in an already established freezer bag filled with other wings.  I also will toss the backs and legs into the same bag if I'm only using the breasts in a specific dish.

After simmering, the stock will yeild about 2 quarts, and the chicken will produce about three cups of meat.  I divide the meat in half (1 1/2 c per package) and freeze it so I will be able to use it in two different dishes.

Chicken Stock
yeilds 2 quarts
cooking time: 6 hours

• 4-5 lbs chicken parts (preferably organic)
• 2 medium onions, cut into quarters
• 3-4 large carrots, cut into large chunks 
• 3-4 stalks celery, including leaves, cut into large chunks
• 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 10-12 sprigs fresh thyme
• 10-12 sprigs fresh parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 10-12 black peppercorns
• 6 qts water

Combine everything in a large stock pot.  

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer uncovered.  For the first hour, skim the foam from the top of the soup and discard.

Continue to simmer another 5 hours (for a total of 6 hours) or until liquid has reduced by about half.

You can see the original liquid line

Position a fine mesh strainer or a colander lined with 1 layer of cheese cloth over a large bowl or another stock pot. Slowly pour the stock into the strainer and allow the liquid to drain through.  Set the chicken and vegetables aside to cool.*  Check the stock and if there are any food or herb particles, strain again.  Set aside to cool, then refrigerate for several hours.

Once the stock has been refrigerated, the fat will rise to the top. Using a spoon or skimmer, remove the fat.

Your stock is now ready to use.  Refrigerate and use within three days, or freeze in appropriate portions for your cooking applications.

*Remove the chicken meat from the bones and skin.  There should be about three cups of meat.  Refrigerate and use within three days or freeze.  Mash the vegetables for use in thickening soups, if desired (or feed them to your dogs like I do - they love them!).

Herb Roasted Root Vegetables

Autumn is settling in quite well here in the Upper Midwest.  The weather is cooler and the trees are just barely beginning to turn. Not so coincidentally, the farmer's markets are ablaze with orange pumpkins, yellow and dark green winter squash, red apples...even the colors of the harvest reflect the changing of the season.  It's another reason I love living here so much (I write, as I pull my cardigan a little tighter and consider closing the window behind me, through which a particularly cool breeze is blowing, but decide not to because it's still too early and the air is so fresh and lovely.  And because I'm stubborn).

Root vegetables are being harvested and stored at this time of the year.  So, I'm going to share with you a favorite side dish that is easy enough to serve with weeknight dinners, and elegant enough to serve at Thanksgiving.  The balsamic vinegar is just enough to bring out the sweetness of the roots, while the herbs are subtle enough to compliment the vegetables without overpowering the flavor of the main characters of the dish.  If you love the flavor of any of those ingredients, go ahead and add a little more of whatever it is you like.  (Sometimes I will add more balsamic vinegar just because I love the flavor of it.  The balsamic vinegar is not so pronounced in this particular recipe so that the dish will be versatile enough to accent numerous main courses, from beef to poultry to fish, depending on the flavor of each.)

The key to having all the vegetables done at the same time is in the size of the cut.  The potatoes should be cut a little larger than the carrots, turnips and parsnips, which are more dense and would take longer to cook at the same size.  I use kosher salt to season many of my dishes, which is less intense than sea salt, so be sure to salt according to your tastes (you will need about 1/3 the amount of sea salt to kosher salt). Feel free to substitute rutabaga for the turnips and parsnips, or even just more carrots and potatoes if you have a preference, because they all work very well here; all together, excluding the onion and garlic, you should have about 3 1/2 lbs of vegetables to serve 6 people.

Herb Roasted Root Vegetables
serves 6

• 1 1/2 lbs small red or purple potatoes, scrubbed and halved (or quartered if they are bigger "small" potatoes)
• 1 lb turnips, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
• 1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
• 3 large carrots, scrubbed and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
• 1 medium red onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 Tbs minced fresh rosemary
• 1 Tbs chopped fresh thyme
• 1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
• 3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
• 1Tbs kosher salt (or more to taste)
• few grinds of fresh black pepper

Preheat oven to 425F.

Combine everything in a 13x9 baking dish.

 Bake uncovered about 50-60 minutes or until vegetables are fork tender, stirring once after 30 minutes.

Naturally Sweet Apple Crisp

I'm still working through all the apples my parents gave us from before I posted about the Apple Pocket Pies! Applesauce, pie filling, cakes, muffins, apple butter, and this delicious apple crisp.  And in anticipation of the October Unprocessed 2011 Pledge going on over at Andrew Wilder's Eating Rules, I'm dehydrating some apples to use in granola for breakfast "cereal" (which will be one of my family's biggest struggles during the month).

I'm really excited about the pledge; we usually eat very little processed food, but there are a few hurdles we still need to get over; breakfast cereal is a favorite, quick choice for my son, crackers are well loved by everyone, and I'm sure there are a few more that don't scream out to me right now.  Over the course of October, I wonder what else we'll find that we have overlooked.  I'm planning to post our weekly menus along with recipes, and hopefully that will help some of you with ideas about how to proceed.  If you haven't already signed up, head over to Eating Rules and check it out.

I would have no problem with my family eating this apple crisp for breakfast, though. This recipe, originally from a very old country church cookbook in my Stack O' Cookbooks, has been adapted over the years to accommodate my huge disdain for processed sugar (the original recipe had 2 cups!).  It is now sweetened only by apples and maple syrup, which are sweet enough all on their own as far as I'm concerned.  Don't be alarmed by the giant pan of apples and the seemingly small amount of topping - it all works out after the apples cook down in the oven.  For the oil, I usually use butter, but I found when I made a vegan version for some of our friends that I really, really liked the way this crisp tasted with unrefined coconut oil; just the barest hint of coconut, and the topping held together more or less as well as it had with butter.  So feel free to use either butter or unrefined coconut oil (I buy whichever is available; either Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil or  Spectrum Naturals Organic Coconut Oil).  A combination of both butter and coconut oil is nice, too, but be sure they are both melted to liquid form before adding them to this recipe.

Naturally Sweet Apple Crisp
supposed to serve 12, but we've never made it past 8

• 10 c apples, thinly sliced (peeled or not)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbs flour
• 1 c pure maple syrup
• 1 1/4 c rolled oats (not quick cooking)
• 1 c flour (unbleached white or whole wheat or a combination)
• 1/2 c pure maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp aluminum free baking powder (such as Rumford)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 c chopped raw nuts (I prefer walnuts, but pecans are delicious, too)
• 1/2 c butter or unrefined coconut oil (or a combination)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Place the apples in a 9x13 baking dish.  Sprinkle with 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 Tbs flour.  Pour 1 c maple syrup over all, then toss lightly to mix.

In another bowl, combine oats, flour, 1/2 c maple syrup, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nuts and butter/coconut oil.  Mix well.

Using your hands, sprinkle the mixture over the top of the apples (mixture will be too wet to "sprinkle" with a spoon).

Bake in preheated oven about 45 minutes, or until apples are fork tender and topping begins to brown.

Cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

Mediterranean Style Stuffed Mushrooms

Love these meaty little guys!  When the rest of my family is having steaks or burgers for dinner, I opt for these delicious main dish stuffed mushrooms.  They are great on their own, but even better served over hot whole wheat linguine or fettuccine tossed with oil and parsley.  Mmmm.

There are so many wonderful things to say about portobello mushrooms; sliced, chopped, grilled, baked, sauteed, stewed, or stuffed, they are easily my favorite mushroom.  And really, the caps can be stuffed with pretty much any tasty concoction you can devise.  These are my "Mediterranean" version.

When shopping for them, do try to find them in bulk bins in the produce section so you can choose wisely; all too often the mushrooms wrapped in plastic tend to be slimy or moldy.  When choosing, look for firm, unwrinkled caps with a good, earthy fragrance. Avoid the ones that look a little dried out and shrively, or smell moldy (or like they've just returned from the swamp).  I store my mushrooms (all fresh ones) in a brown paper bag (such as a lunch bag) in the driest part of my refrigerator, and I only buy as many as we'll need for that week.  In my experience, leaving them in any plastic type packaging leads to moisture issues, which can result in either a slimy, stinky mushroom or a dried out mushroom, but the paper bag allows them to breathe and absorbs excess moisture.  However, be careful where you store them - if you store them in a high moisture area, they will deteriorate quickly because the bag will also take on the moisture of the foods around it.  When you are ready to use the mushrooms, use a damp towel (paper or otherwise) and gently wipe the mushroom clean.

Mediterranean Style Stuffed Mushrooms
serves 4

• 4 oz feta cheese
• 6 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
• 2 Tbs sundried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 Tbs fresh basil, finely chopped
• 2 Tbs onion, finely chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 4 medium size portobello caps (about 8-10 oz), stems removed and wiped clean
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375F.  Lightly oil a shallow baking tray.

In a small bowl, combine the feta, olives, tomatoes, basil, onion, and garlic.  Mix well.

With a small spoon, carefully scoop out the gills of each mushroom, like this:

Using a pastry brush, baste each mushroom inside and out with the olive oil.  Place on the prepared baking tray.
Divide the cheese mixture evenly between the mushroom caps.  Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake in preheated oven 12-15 minutes, or until mushroom is tender and cheese is just beginning to brown.

Serve immediately.

Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Pasta

It's getting time to say good-bye to all that lovely eggplant.  I have two more waiting on my counter just begging to be turned into Eggplant Parmesan one last time.  Sigh.

The cool weather is teasing us here in the upper Midwest, and I'm feeling the pull.  As some summer staples are nearing their season's end, I'm feeling more inclined to make casseroles, stews and breads (hmm, maybe those eggplant are destined for a baked Eggplant Parmesan casserole, thick with sauce and mozzarella...mmm!).  It's odd how innately in tune to the seasons our bodies are that we can switch from shorts and dresses and summer pastas one week, to jeans and sweatshirts and chilis the next.  Maybe it's just part of living here where all the seasons are so pronounced, but it's a part I really, really love.

Here is this year's last homage to one of my favorite foods of summer.  And it even tastes good cold the next day.

Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Pasta

Serves 6

• 2 eggplant, peeled if desired, cut into 1" chunks
• 1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbs olive oil

• 2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 12 oz dried whole wheat rotini or fusilli pasta

• about 20 kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
• 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 425F.  Lightly oil two 10x15" baking trays.

Combine eggplant, onions, tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper 2 Tbs olive oil in a large bowl.  Toss well.

Divide evenly between prepared baking pans.  Roast in preheated oven about 40 minutes, or until tender, stirring once half way through.

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing.  In a small jar with tight fitting lid, combine 2 Tbs balsamic vinegar, 3 Tbs olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Cover tightly and shake well.

Prepare pasta according to package directions, cooking al dente.

Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 tsp of the pasta water.  Transfer pasta to a large bowl (I like to use the same one I used to prep the veggies so that any left over seasoning goes back into the dish).  Add the roasted vegetables and mix well.  Pour the dressing over and mix again.  If the mixture seems a bit dry, add some of the pasta water.

Serve topped with chopped kalamata olives and feta cheese.

Ooh-la-la.

Versatile, Rich Vegetable Broth

I wasn't sure I wanted to spend an entire post on broth.  But then, as I considered all the cooking ahead for the next season (or two), broth is kind of an important component.  So, if you don't already know how to make a good, inexpensive broth, I'm posting this one for you.  Do you think a sequence of posts about broth basics would be helpful; chicken, beef, mushroom, etc?  If so, let me know.  Perhaps I can do a sort of "Broth Basics" set.

At any rate, with the season of soups, stews, dressings, and holiday cooking nearing (is it that time already?), broths and stocks are an indispensable pantry staple.   All summer long, I stash the ends of carrots, celery, onions, and the tops of garlic bulbs (cut to make roasted garlic with the rest of the bulb) in a large Ziploc bag in my freezer just so I can make gallons of vegetable broth to freeze for the season.  Vegetable broth is, in my opinion, the most versatile broth because it is flavorful enough to be used in many meat-based broth soup recipes, and rich enough to even take on the usually beef broth-based French Onion Soup.  It is inexpensive, and in some cases, down right free, because it can provide a use for all those parts of the vegetable we would usually toss out or compost.   And it's easy; there is little labor or time involved, no deboning or defatting, just a little chopping and dumping.  Love the vegetable broth.

Mostly comprised of root vegetables, this broth gains its earthiness from the mushrooms.  A basic button mushroom will suffice, but a meaty flavored portobello or cremini is ideal for that rich, full flavor.  And be sure to use the whole head of garlic - peeling isn't necessary, but do separate the cloves and crack them by smacking them with the side of a knife and remove the excess paper.

It's true that roasting the vegetables first will result in a richer broth, but I've found that giving them a good char in some oil in the stock pot works just as well.  If you choose to skip the first step, roast the vegetables tossed in olive oil in a 400F oven for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, before continuing on to the 2nd step.

I've added cup ratios for those of you who, like me, stash veggie ends in the freezer for the sole purpose of making broth.  If you are not using "parts", chop your vegetables into 1" pieces.  And, really, the amounts listed are just a guideline; use what you have. That's the wonderful thing about this broth.

Rich, Versatile Vegetable Broth
yield 2 quarts

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 2 cups largely chunked onion (1 1/2 large onions)
• 2 cups chunked carrots and peels (2-3 large carrots)
• 1 cup chunked celery, including leaves (2-3 stalks)
• 2 cups chunked leek, white and light green parts only (about 2 leeks)
• 1 bulb garlic, cloves cracked and separated, no need to peel
• 2-3 c roughly chopped cleaned mushrooms, including stems (about 8 oz)
• 4-6 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs
• handful fresh parsley sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp whole peppercorns
• 10 cups water

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat.  Stir in vegetables, and cook 5-7 minutes or until lightly charred and semi-tender.

Add in thyme, parsley, bay leaves, salt, peppercorns and water.

Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to medium.  Simmer uncovered 1 1/2 hours.

Place a mesh strainer over a large bowl.  For an extra clear broth, line the strainer with 1 layer of cheese cloth.  Carefully pour the broth into the strainer.

Let the cooked vegetables rest and drain over the broth bowl for at least 5 minutes.  You can press the vegetables with the back of a large spoon to squeeze any remaining broth, but this will result in a cloudier broth (personally, I don't care, and I usually press).

Store in the refrigerator for a few days, or freeze in usable amounts (I freeze in quarts).

Three Bean Chili (Vegetarian)

Years ago when I switched my diet over to completely vegetarian, and was on my never ending search for recipes that helped my family "not miss the meat", I came across one of Rachael Ray's cookbooks called Veggie Meals: Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Meals.  This book is so chock full of delicious, easy recipes, it's still a staple in my cookbook library.  The very first recipe in it is called Chili for Veg Heads (the name on her website is Veg Head Three Bean Chili).  I made it.  Everyone absolutely loved it, and it became a part of our regular meal rotation.

Over the years, my diet has become more "flexitarian" than vegetarian (although, I'm still primarily vegetarian, but I can't exactly call myself that anymore). And as my diet and food philosophies have changed, I've altered several of those original tasty recipes that we so enjoyed.  This chili recipe was inspired by the one in Rachael Ray's book, using fresh tomatoes, more beans, oregano, and corn.  It is still vegetarian, still healthy, and still delicious.

A little word about chili peppers:  wear gloves when cutting them, and choose the variety wisely.  It should go without saying, but if you get the oils from those peppers on your fingers while handling them, and then you rub your eyes or take out your contacts, you will be in some serious pain (at best - ask me how I know).  Buy some gloves, keep them in your kitchen drawer, and use them.  Also be sure to wash your board and knife when you are done cutting those peppers.  With regard to variety, jalapeno and serrano chilis are a safe, spicy bet.  If you know your chilis, then you need not take my advice.  If you do not, I will share my experience with you.

I am a chili pepper novice.  I use them, I like them, but I'm still not savvy to all the different kinds available.  Some time ago, my husband and I bought some cute little Thai chilis from the farmer's market and I used them in this chili.  Some are red and some are green, some are even purple.  They are also tiny.  So I used six of them, seeds and all.

I don't think they are very cute anymore.

I thought for sure my lips would burn and fall right off.  They didn't, of course, so if you like that sort of thing, go ahead, but I learned my lesson rather quickly; the smaller the chili, the hotter it is, and the seeds and membrane are where most of the heat is harbored.

Three Bean Chili (Vegetarian)
serves 6-8

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1-2 chili peppers (jalapeno, serrano, etc), chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bottle beer
• 6 c. chopped tomato (and the juice)
• 2 Tbs cumin (or more if you prefer)
• 2 Tbs chili powder (or more if you prefer)
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 c cooked pinto beans
• 1 1/2 c cooked kidney beans
• 1 1/2 c cooked black beans
• 1 c corn (either fresh or frozen)

Toppings

• shredded cheddar cheese
• sliced green onions
• sour cream
• avocado

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium high heat.  Stir in onions and peppers.  Cook, stirring, about 5-7 minutes, or until tender.  Add garlic; stir 1 minute.  

Pour in beer, stir vegetables, and simmer 2 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and ground black pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer uncovered 20 minutes, or until tomatoes are tender and broth is thick.

Stir in beans and corn.  Simmer another 5 -7 minutes, or until heated through.

Serve topped with your choice of toppings.  Scoop with tortilla chips, if desired.

Apple Pocket Pies

It's always funny to me when pie lovers learn what goes into pie crust.  They seem unanimously surprised by "all that butter".  Even my husband, who,while watching me make the dough for these little individual apple pies, vowed never to eat more than one slice at a time for fear his heart would stop working before he was done chewing.  Really, when you think about it, each serving only contains about 2 Tbs butter, so it's not exactly awful. Poor butter has been wrongfully demonized over the years, but because it is a simple, real food, it is infinitely more healthy than its margarine and shortening counterparts; my husband knows this because since we kicked "fake" foods to the curb many years ago, his overall cholesterol count magically dropped from frightening danger zone levels to normal, healthy levels (more on that in future posts).  Still, I guess, it's hard to completely break that psychological connection between "all that butter" and "poor health".

Just to be clear, though, I'm not advocating sitting down and licking a stick of butter for health reasons - that would be crazy.  I'm just saying pie is good.  And it's even better with whipped cream on top.

These mini apple pies are sweetened with maple syrup and thickened with instant tapioca.  Personally, I like the texture of fruit pies thickened with tapioca; the filling is never runny and the fruit seems almost suspended in a thick, juice infused liquid that provides just the right amount of hold for fruity pies.  I don't love flour as a thickener because all too often it has resulted in runny pies or I can taste the starchiness of having too much flour.  It's not going to be very often I suggest a fairly processed product on this blog, but instant-type, granulated tapioca is absolutely fantastic for pie filling.

I have no idea what kind of apples I used.  My parents have three large apple trees that we are fortunate enough to pick from each fall (thanks, Mom and Dad!), and they can't remember what kind they are.  Our own trees are only three years old and not bearing too terribly much fruit yet, and I can't remember what those are, either.  That's fine with me, though.  I understand that different kinds of apples lend different flavors and textures to different preparations, but as far as I'm concerned the free apple is the best apple, and they all taste good to me.  So, if you are an apple connoisseur, choose some nice, equally tart and sweet apples for these little pies.

For the dough, I used a basic pie crust dough:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder

Put those ingredients into a food processor bowl and pulse to mix.  Add:

• 2 sticks butter (16 Tbs), chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

Pulse several times until all the butter is incorporated and the flour is mealy.  Add:

• 6-8 Tbs ice water

Pulse a few more times.  When you can pinch the mixture with your fingers and it holds, it's ready (it will still look mealy in the bowl).  If it doesn't, sprinkle with a little more water (1 Tbs at a time) and pulse a few times until it does. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and, using your hands, bring together to form a ball.  Cut the ball in half.  Pat each ball into a 6x6" square.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 -60 minutes, or until ready to use.

Apple Pocket Pies
makes 8 individual pies

• Dough for a two crust pie (see recipe above)
• 4 c chopped apple, peeled if you like
• 1 tsp lemon juice (to maintain color)
• 1/2 c maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• few grates fresh nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 Tbs instant tapioca granules

• 2 Tbs maple syrup
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a large bowl, combine chopped apple, lemon juice, 1/2 c maple syrup, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and tapioca.  Stir well and set aside.

Lightly flour a work surface.  Working from the middle outward with a floured rolling pin, roll out each square of dough to form a 12 inch square.

Score into equal quarters with a knife.

Stir the apple mixture to incorporate all the juices pooled on the bottom of the bowl. Place 1/2 c apple pie filling in the middle of each square, leaving no less than 1/2 inch edge.

Fold over to form a triangle.  Gently, but firmly, press down on the edges to seal.  Crimp and trim away any excess.  If you make a hole, use some of the excess dough to mend the tear.

With a sharp knife, make three 1" slits in the top of the pie.  Continue the process with the rest of the dough and pie filling, making sure to stir the apple mixture each time.  

Place 4 pies on each of two ungreased 10x15" baking trays.

In a small bowl, mix together 2 Tbs maple syrup and 1/8 tsp cinnamon.  With a pastry brush, lightly baste the pies.

Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes or until golden.  Remove to a cooling rack.

Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Beer Braised Pot Roast and Potatoes

Horseradish - would you believe I can't find the root anywhere around here?  Not at the farmer's markets nor in any of the grocery stores.  Well, I did actually find some at one grocery store, but the cashier didn't know how to ring it up; she couldn't find the code listed, so she called someone from produce, who didn't know what it was, either (neither the root nor the code).  The produce guy called another produce guy, who called someone else, who called a manager, and all the while the line of customers waiting to check out was growing longer.  The good people in line behind me were alternating between being annoyed at the hold up and conversing about the "mystery root".  After several minutes of the store personnel trying to figure out how they could sell it to me, what it was, passing the root from person to person (by this time there was quite a crowd handling the odd looking root), off color jokes about the aptly named root (at which I laughed and agreed), I gave up and ended up purchasing a bottle of prepared horseradish.  Which pales in comparison by way of flavor, but definitely lends something good, none the less.

This pot roast is a slow cooked, heady mixture of beef, horseradish, garlic, onions, herbs and beer.  I love to add the potatoes right into the slow cooker so they soak up all that yummy flavor and juice, and then hand mash them with the garlic and onions as a side dish to the roast.  When I use the slow cooker, I don't like to "attend" to the contents, so I keep the potato chunks large enough to maintain their form during the long cooking time (smaller chunks get done much sooner than the meat and become too mushy for my taste).   Also, the slow cooker tends to cook the flavor out of a lot of seasonings, so don't be alarmed by the amount of each of them in this dish - just go with it; you'll be happy you did. Served with a green vegetable salad and some crusty bread, this is a most satisfying meal with hardly any work involved.

*Note - When I make this, I often make two roasts; one for dinner and one for sandwiches throughout the next few days.  Two 2 1/2 lb chuck roasts fit nicely in a 5-6 quart slow cooker.  The only amendments to the recipe you'll need to make is to double the flour, salt, pepper mixture in the beginning (to accommodate both roasts), double the horseradish, increase the thyme and rosemary, and use the whole bottle of beer.

And the broth makes a wonderful gravy (1 Tbs butter to 1 Tbs flour to 1 cup of broth) to mix with the shredded beef later in the week.

Beer Braised Pot Roast and Potatoes

• 2 1/2 - 3lb chuck roast (preferably free range, grass fed/finished)
• 1/4 c flour
• 1 Tbs kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1-2 Tbs olive oil
• 2 Tbs prepared horseradish
• several fresh sprigs thyme and rosemary (don't be shy)
• 2 bay leaves
• few good pinches caraway seeds (optional)
• 5-6 cloves garlic
• 5-6 large red potatoes, halved
• 1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 1 cup dark beer (a good stout is very nice)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat oil in large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat.

In a shallow bowl, mix flour, salt and pepper.  Dredge the chuck roast in the flour mixture, using your hands to pat in all the flour mixture.  Carefully place the roast in the pan (it may splatter) and cook about 5 minutes on each side or until deeply browned.

Transfer the roast to a 5-6 quart slow cooker.  Turn the heat on the skillet or dutch oven off.  Pour the beer into the pan and scrape all the little blackened bits from the bottom.  Set aside.

Spread the prepared horseradish on the roast.

Toss in the onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, caraway (if using) and potatoes.  Pour the beer (with all the flavor bits from the bottom of the pan) over everything.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

This 6 qt slow cooker has 2 roasts under the potatoes

Cover and cook on low 8 - 9 hours or on high 5 - 6 hours. When the meat is extremely tender and falls apart, it's done.

When ready to serve, remove the roast to a serving platter and keep warm.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs (if herbs still have the stems, pluck those out, and discard the bay leaves), to a large bowl and mash with a fork or hand masher.

Serve with an ice cold beer and enjoy.